The Road to 50 Billion Apple App Store Downloads is Littered with Games

Apple's popular App Store is fast approaching 50 billion downloads, and to preemptively celebrate the occasion, the Cupertino outfit posted lists of the top 25 all-time free and paid apps on the iPhone and iPad. As you can imagine, the journey to 50 billion app downloads is one that winds through game after game, with Rovio's original Angry Birds title leading the paid apps list on the iPhone.

In fact, the first five titles are all games, and only four apps on the entire list don't belong to the gaming category. Interestingly, the top free apps list for the iPhone isn't as dominated by games as the paid list, though the category is still represented by 6 titles, the highest ranking of which is Words With Friends Free (No. 6).

While the road to 50 billion downloads is littered with games, it ends with a $10,000 App Store gift card, which Apple will award to one lucky individual with impeccable timing.

"Apps have revolutionized the way we play video games, consume news, do business, educate, communicate, create art, and so much more," Apple said in a statement. "As we approach 50 billion app downloads, we'll be awarding a $10,000 App Store gift card to the lucky customer who downloads the 50 billionth app, and a $500 App Store gift card to each of the next 50 people to download an app."

If you prefer, you can enter to win without purchase or download by filling out a form, which Apple allows you to do up to 25 times per day.

Getting back to the lists, here are the top paid and free apps on the iPhone: